Method of forming piston ring elements of ribbon steel



A H 2 T S O B B I R F O S T N E M E L E G N T. a N O T S T P G N T M R OF F O D O H T E M Feb. 17, 1948.

H. P. PHILLIPS Filed June 16, 1944 INVENTOR. flfaca f Ff/LL x1 5ATTORNEY).

Patented Feb. 17, 1948 emory or F .RMINGPISTON RING ELEMENIS RIBBON TEL."

Harold P. Bhilli ps, Hastings, Mich, assignorto Hastin s. Manufact r C man Hastin s; Mich a mm the of Mich gan Application Junelfi, 1944, SerialNo. 540,714.

. 1 This invention relates to improvements in methodof formingpistonring elements of .ribbon steel.

The main objects of this invention. are:

First, to provide a, method of forming split-pis- .ton ring elementshaving chromium platedpcripheralcylinderwall engaging faces whichenables thevery rapidlproduction of the elements and a very uniformproduct.

Second, to provide a methodin which. onlythe peripheral surface isplated, thereby conserving material.

: Third, to provide amethod-of forming split piston ring elements whichhave very long lifeeven when used under severe conditions such as inbadly wo-rncylinders.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of' the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is-a fragmentary sideelevation illustrating the first step of mymethod, namely, the coiling of a strip of ribbon steeledgewise intoamultiple coil spiral.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical section illustratingthe succeeding steps, that is, the step f mounting such a multiple coilspiral in a plating bath holder and the submerging ,of,

the multiple coil spiral so mounted in a plating bath.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section illustratin the multiple coilsafter plating.

;Fig, 4 is a'fragmentary section illustrating the step of cutting themultiple. coil peripherally plated spiral into split piston ringelements.

Fig. 5 is aside view of one of the splitplst-on ring elementsillustrating the relation thereto of the saw, although it willbeunderstoodthatthe ring elements expand under their inherent ten-- sionafter they have been released from the holder.

In the practice of my method, I first form a multiple coil spiral I outof ribbon steel coiled edgewise, as is illustrated in Fig. 1. The meansfor coiling are not illustrated as they form no part of this invention.

I mount the multiple coil spiral upon a plating bath holder comprisinend plates 2 and 3 which are clamped upon the ends of the multiple coilspiral by means of the nut l threaded upon the end of the spindle 5,this being provided with an abutment collar 6 for the clamping member 2Shims. (01. 204.?35.)

The holder is provided with a suspending hook I engaged with the support8 which in practice is preferably .a current conductor. the spiral areclamped between the members 2 and 3 of the holder-in side by siderelation formT ing a substantially fluid sea1-that is, they are clampedtogether so that there is very little opportunity or tendency: for theplating fluid to throw between the individual coils and thus plate thesides thereof. Theclamping members 2 and 3 are solid sothat-theplatingfiuid is substantially excluded from the coils.

The platingbath 9- is conventionally illustrated and the loaded holderis preferably submerged inthe bath within' asleeve likeanode 50. Therings constitutethefcathode. This results in the application ordepositing of a coating ll of chm miumloi-"other-desired material on theperipheries of the composite or'multiplecoil.

Afterthe platin'g the multiple coils are out longitudinally as by'mean'sof a, saw l2 into individual ring elementsl3. This severing or cuttingof the individual elements-is preferably done while the multiple coil issupported onthe holder, as is'illustrated; in Fig, 4, as this avoids thenecessity of a separate chuckin operation for the cell. This method,including the coil forming and plating steps, maybeveryrapidlyperformed, Where it is attempted to chrome plate theperipheries of split rings after the gap is cut therein, instead ofbefore cutting the 'gap' therein as in the method of my invention hereindescribed, the-gap must be very accurately milled and the diameter heldvery accurately so that when the rings are closed up the gaps. ofall therings on the plating arbor or mandrel come togethersolidly. If one ringis alittle-largerthan others it will butt together first andholdthe-ad-jacent rings open; gassing will resultandthe platemay-bedestroyed at the openings. If'certain of the rings have too much gap incomparison tothe others they naturally stand open and will gas!" Mymethod, which includes the step of electrically plating the multiplecoil spiral while in the form of a continuous integral multiple coilmember, and with the individual coils thereof clamped in side by sidesubstantially fluid sealing relation, overcomes all of thesedifficulties and not only results in a superior product but greatlylessens labor and time. The suspending hook I may be threaded into thecollar or thrust memberfi on the spindle 5.

The apparatus illustrated is highly practical for the practicing of mymethod. I have not attempted to illustrate other apparatus which mightbe used as it is believed that the disclosure The coils. of

of coiling'a strip of ribbon steel edgewise intoa continuous integralmultiple coil spiral, clamping such continuous integral multiple coilspiral in a plating bath holder with such axial clamping pressure thatthe individual coils thereof are so mounted in the holder in a chromiumplating bath and centrally within a tubularly shaped anode, electricallyplating the peripheral cylinder wall engaging edge of the multiple coilspiral while submerged in said bath, in the form of a continuousintegral multiple coil member, and with the individual coils thereofclamped in said side by side substantially fluid sealing relation, andthereafter cutting the multiple coil peripherally plated spiral into.split piston ring elements, said step of coiling fashioning the ringelements approximately to shape, and positioning the coils of the ringelements in superimposed relation for the plating operation.

2. The method of forming split piston ring elements having platedperipheral cylinder wall engaging edges comprising the steps of coilinga strip of ribbon steel edgewise into a continuous integral multiplecoil spiral, clamping such continuous integral multiple coil spiral in aplating bath holder with such axial clamping pressure that theindividual coils thereof are clamped in side by side substantially fluidsealing relation, submerging the multiple coil spiralso mounted in theholder to a plating bath, electrically plating the peripheral cylinderwall engaging edge of the multiple coil spiral while submerged in saidbath, in the form of a continuous integral multiple coil member, andwith the individual coils thereof clamped in said side by sidesubstantially fluid sealing relation, and thereafter cutting themultiple coil peripherally plated spiral into split piston ringelements, said step of coiling fashioning the ring elementsapproximately to shape, and positioning the coils of the ring elementsin superimposed relation for the plating operation.

3. The method of forming split piston ring elements having chromiumplated cylinder wall engaging edges comprising the steps of coiling astrip of ribbon steel edgewise into a continuous integral multiple coilspiral, mounting such continuous integral multiple coil spiral in aplating bath holder so that axial clamping pressure is applied to themultiple coiled spiral and the individual coils thereof are clamped inside by side substantially fluid sealing relation, subjecting to achromium plating bath, electrically plating the peripheral cylinder wallengaging edge of the multiple coil spiral while submerged in said bath,in the form of a continuous integral multiple coil member, and with theindividual coils thereof clamped in said side by side substantiallyfluid sealingrelation, and thereafter cutting the multiple coil spiralinto split piston ring elements.

4. The method of forming split piston ring elements having platedcylinder wall engaging edges comprising the steps of coiling a strip ofribbon steel edgewise into a continuous integral multiple coil spiral,mounting such continuous integral multiple coil spiral in a plating bathholder so that axial clamping pressure is applied to the multiple coiledspiral and the individual coils thereof are clamped in side by sidesubstantially fluid sealing relation, subjecting to a plating bath,electrically plating the peripheral cylinder wall engaging edge of themultiple coil spiral while submerged in said bath, in the form of acontinuous integral multiple coil member, and with the individual coilsthereof clamped in said side by side substantially fluid sealingrelation, and thereafter separating the multiple coil spiral into splitpiston ring elements.

5. The method of forming split piston ring elements having chromiumplated cylinder wall engaging edges comprising the steps of coiling astrip of ribbon steel edgewise into a continuous integral multiple coilspiral, mounting the continuous integral multiple coll spiral in aholder under axial clamping pressure with the individual coils thereofin side by side substantially fluid sealing relation, subjecting themultiple coil spiral while so mounted to a chromium plating bath andcentrally within a tubularly shaped anode, electrically plating theperipheral cylinder wall engaging edge of the multiple coil spiral whilesubmerged in said bath, in the form of a con tinuous integral multiplecoil member, and with the individual coils thereof clamped in said sideby side substantially fluid sealing relation, and thereafter severingthe plated multiple coil into split piston ring elements.

HAROLD P. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Van Der Horst Jan. 9, 1945

